MEADOWS, FIELDS AND PASTURES— SPRING 117 



of this grow the spreading leaves and the hollow stalks of the soUtary 



flower-heads. The former vary very considerably in shape, but 



are usually long and narrow, broader at the apex, and cut into 



triangular lobes which generally point backwards. Sometimes, 



however, the 



leaves are al- 

 most entire; and 



they also vary 



in colour, from 



a bright to a 



very duU green. 



The peduncles 



vary from two 



to eight inches 



in length ; and 



the florets of the 



head, which are 



all yellow, are 



surrounded by 



an inner whorl 



of narrow, erect 



bracts, and outer 



bracts which 



either overlap or 



are turned back 



on the stalk. 



The Uttle fruits 



have projecting 



points towards 



the top, and are 

 provided with a 

 slender beak, 

 three or four 

 times as long as 

 the achene itself, at the summit of which is a tuft of silky hau-g. 



Our last example of the composite flowers is the Butterbur, 

 variously named Tussikigo vulgaris, Petasites vtilgaris, and Tussilago 

 Petasites. It resembles the Common Colt's-foot (Tussilago FarJ'ara) 

 in several respects ; and, as will be seen from the above names, is 

 sometimes included in the same genus. Its leaves are very large, 

 and very similar to those of the Colt's-foot, being cordate and toothed, 



THE Butterbur. 



